Feeding device for packet-making machines.



W. E. MOLINS.

FEEDING, DEVICE FOR PACKET MAKING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILEVD JUNE 14.1913.

1,144,772. Patented June 29, 1915.

awe/M301 THE NORRIS PETERSICO, PHOTO-LITHCL. WASHINGTON D4 C.

w. E. MOLINS. v FEEDING DEVICE FOR PACKET MAKING MACHINES..

APPLICATION FILED lUNE 14, I913- 1,144,772. Patented 3m 29, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIE'E lwuemtoz attuned THE NORRIS PETERS cO.. FHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON.D. C,

w. E'. MOLiNS.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR PACKET MAKING MACHINES.

' APPLICATION FILED 111N514, 191a.

1,144,772. Patented June 29, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ld: 23 'fs?.. Fl -3 if 3/ I 67 3M0: 4!. Wa/fri, Mo/HYS v as a 7E NORRFSsrzxsoggnpm-urua, WASHINGTON, 1).? w

WALTER E. MOLINS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR PACKET-MAKING- MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1915.

Original application filed January 9, 1912, Serial No. 670,137. Dividedand this application filed June 14,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVALTER E. MoLINs, a citizen 'of the United States,residing at London, England, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Feeding Devices for Packet-lWIaking Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for feeding blanks of paper andcardboard to folding machines for making packets or cases therefrom, andhas for its fundamental object to provide feeding means particularlyapplicable to folding machines that work at comparatively high speedsupon blanks which at times require to have an adhesive applied tocertain portions of one of their surfaces. In folding machinesof thetype to which this invention is to be applied, the speed is such that inthe majority of cases the time between operations is too'short for theblanks to be fed thereinto in a longitudinal direction, but must be fedtransversely of the length of the blanks. The adhesive, however, hastobe applied to said blanks in longitudinal lines, and, therefore, itbecomes necessary for the blanks, or for the adhesive applying devices,to travel longitudinally of said blanks. The time, as previously stated,in which the blanks can be fed to the machine being so short, the adhesive cannot be applied to the blanks as they are advanced under thefolding apparatus, but must be done at a time previous thereto. In orderto effectively apply the adhesive thereto the blanks are moved in twodirections or feeding lines before being acted upon by the foldingdevices, first longitudinally, and the primary feeding mechanism whicheffects this movement applies the adhesive, and secondly transversely bya secondary feeding mechanism by which the blanks are fed into thefolding apparatus. The first movement of the blanks, or the movement ina longitudinal direction, is performed while the folding apparatus isoperating on a previously fed blank, the final operation of feeding,that in a transverse direction taking place between the foldingoperations. This latter movement is a quick short one, and isnecessarily so because of the short time given for placing the blankwithin the folding devices. The first feed ing movement when theadhesive is applied, is slower, as the necessity of speed is not sogreat during this part of the operation, To

Serial No. 773,743.

perform these operations correctly the blanks are carried in a magazineadjacent the folding mechanism, and automatically fed to a device bymeans of which they are moved in a longitudinal direction below suitableadhesive applying shoes into a laterally movable trough, which at propertimes, moves transversely to carry the blanks into position to be actedon by the folding devices. In connection with the feed mecha nism is ameans for automatically stopping the feedwhenever two or more blanks arebeing fed or are likely to be fed to the folding mechanism.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists of a novelconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed and pointed out in the claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of aportion of a folding machine with the improved feeding apparatus appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is a similar view ofthe feeding mechanism alone, shownon a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the feeding mechanism.Fig. 4- is an elevation of the feeding mechanism as seen from thedirection of the folding machine. Fig. 5 is a detail view on an enlargedscale of the upper portion of the main frame of the folding machine,show ing certain portions of the feeding mechanism supported thereby.Figs. 6 and 7 are views illustrating certain details ofthe invention.

In the drawings 1 indicates a supporting frame for the folding,mechanism on the top of which are secured guides 2, 3 for a verticalfolding plunger f that in connection with other folding devices, shapesthe blanks into bags or packets. These folding devices are not shown inthe drawings, but are described and illustrated in my co-pendingapplication for apparatus for making bags or packets, filed January 9,1912 Serial No. 670,137, of which the present application is a division.Back of the plunger 4: is a vertical rod to connected at its upper endto the plunger 4 by a pin or bolt to and at its lower end to oneterminal of a lazy tongs 8, the other terminal of which is journaled ona shaft 6 near the bottom of the frame 1. Projecting from one side ofthe lazy tongs 8 is a pin 9 provided with a roller 10 that is engaged bya cam 11 to lift the lazy tongs,

rod w and folding plunger 4. These parts descend partway by gravity, butare drawn down positively by the cam 11 during the folding of the blank.

Pivoted on a cross shaft If? at the top of the frame 1 are two swingingarms Z), one on each side of the frame, which depend for a suitabledistance and support at their lower ends a tray a with upturned sidesupon which tray each blank is fed between the sides and by which it istransferred to the folding mechanism. The two arms I) are connected by acurved bar o and held in normal or retracted position :by a spring 12connected .to the bar I) and to a pin '5 on :the rear of the frame 1.

Projecting rearwardlyfrom the rod w is a curved finger .c which is above.the curved bar 6 when the plunger is elevated, see Fig. 5. Against theside of the rod w in front of the finger is pivoted a switch g/ itsfree. end held normally against the base of the finger 0 by a yieldingspring cl. A pin or roller (Z mounted on the'bar Z) projects forwardlytherefrom in position to enter between the finger 0 and the switch 9when the plunger and rod descend, the pin or roller d following thecurve of the finger, swings the arms b and tray 0; forward a certaindistance beyond the plunger A in position to receive a blank from thefeeding mechanism in a manner to be described hereinafter. The pin orroller cl opens the switch 9 as the bat an descends and rides over thefront of said bar, said front of the bar holding the arms and tray in aforward position during the further descent and a part of the rise ofsaid bar. As soon as the pin or roller (Z passes the switch 9, thelatter is returned to place by its spring cl, thuscompelling said pin orroller to ride over the switch and hold the tray (4 forward until it hasnearly reached. its limit of upward movement/at which point the bottomof the switch 9 passes beyond the pin or roller cl, andthe spring 6,heretofore under tension, is released and swings the arms b back tonormal, quickly carrying the tray a with a blank therein, beneath theplunger 4;. To check the impetus of the swinging arms Z) and prevent thetray rebounding, resilient buffers 13, Fig. 6 are fixed to each side ofthe frame 1 and project into the path of the arms Z). Angular lugs CFig. 7 on the rod w engage the buffers as the rod rises and press themoutward toward said arms when the latter swing inward and finally cometorest against the stops E. The tray a is cut away below the plunger topermit the latter carrying the blank therethrough when it de scends andalso to permit the tray swinging away from the plunger into. positionto. receive a new blank.

Adjacent one side of the frame 1 nearone edge of the tray a is amagazine within which through an open side are placed a stack of blanksm supported on a vertically movable shelf 16 guided by the frame 17, 17of the magazine, one part 17 a of said frame being adjustable toaccommodate blanks of various lengths. The open side of the magazine isclosed by a gate 18 the details of which will be described hereinafter.Beneath the shelf 16 is an arm 19 slidably mounted on said shelf andprojectingbeyond one side thereof through which is formed ,a threadedopening for a hollow eXteriorly threaded shaft 20, the rotation of whichin opposite directions raises and lowers the shelf. At the opposite endof the arm 19., a latch 21 is provided to secure said arm to the shelf16.

The hollow threaded shaft is ournaled in bearings on the magazine frame17 and has :aflixed on its lower end a ratchet wheel 22, intermittentlyrotatedby a spring actuated pawl 23 pivotally mounted on a horizontallyrocking lever 2e; turning freely on the shaft 20 and actuated through alink 25 connected to a finger 24S on the hub of the lever 2 1, byanarm26 on one end of a short shaft 27 supported on the, main frame 1.An :arm 28, on; the other end ofthe shaft 27 is connected to the lazytongs 8 by a link 29, as clearly represented in Fig. 1. The lazy tongs,it will thus be evident, operates the blank feeding mechanism and blankfold ing mechanism at the same time, so thai whenever the plunger 4 ishalted the feed ing, of blanks will also be stopped.

- in a guide 30. supported by the magazine frame 17 above the magazineis a feeding bar 31, slidable in said guide in a dire-@- ti-on'length-wise of the blanks and also having .a limited vertical movement.Fastened to the underside of the feeding bar 31- are two brackets 32 ineach of which is journaled a roller 33 preferably having a rough enedsurface in the form of a number of .stud like projections. Theserollersrotate freely in one direction but are prevented from turning inthe opposite direction by ratchet wheels 3% and pawls, Each roller hasattached to it one of the ratchet wheels with which engages a pawl 35pivoted .on the underside of the feeding bar, .31. The uppermost blank90 bears against the rollers 33 and as the feeding bar moves toward thefolding mechanism, the rollers held against rotation bythe pawls andratchets, draw said blank from the stack in the magazine and direct ittoward the tray a which has been swung outward in the manner heretoforedescribed. On the return movement of the feeding bar 31 the rollers 33revolve over the stack of blanks into position-to feed another one intothe tray.

The feeding bar is oscillated by means of a longitudinally vibratinglever 36 pivoted at one end on the magazine frame, its other freeend'passing below the feeding bar and having therein a longitudinal slot37 into which projects a pin 38 extending downward from the under sideof said feeding bar. Another longitudinal slot is made in the lever 36intermediate its ends to receive a pin 40 extending up from anadjustable arm 11 on the upper end of a rod 42 that passes downwardlythrough the hollow shaft 20 below the hub 13 of the rocking lever 2a. Across bar 14 on the lower end of the rod a2 is connected to ribs 45 onsaid hub and rocks said rod in unison with the lever 24, carrying thepawl 23. By means of the connections described at each upward movementof the lazy tongs 8 and plunger l, the'feedin'g bar 31 is moved toadvance a blank toward the folding mechanism. A second horizontal leverl6 at one side of the lever 36 is pivoted at one. end to the magazineframe 17 and lies across the top of the feeding bar 31. A pin 47projecting up from said bar extends through a slot -18 in the free endof lever 4-6 and vibrates said lever as it, the bar, is moved back andforth. Fastened on the rocking arm 24 below the pawl 23 is a resilient"plate 49 on the freeend of which is a block or pad 50 in position whensaid plate is lifted to bear on a projection 51 from the pawl 23 andhold said pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 22. A wire 52 orother connection extends from the resilient plate-4t9 upward to thelever 46 to which it'is connected by a threaded pin and adjusting nut 53for regulating the pressure of the block or pad against the pawl 23.When the pressure. of the blanks against the rollers 33 is too great thefeeding bar 31 is lifted a short distance. This raises the lever 46,pulling the wire upward and the block or pad 50 against theprojection 51on the pawl 23 with sufficient friction to hold said pawl against theforce of its spring 54, away from the ratchet wheel 22, thus preventingthe elevation of the shelf 16 and feeding of blanks to the foldingmachine.

The swinginggate 18 heretofore mentioned as retaining the blanks aswithin the magazine, is formed of an upright bar 55 hinged on themagazine frame 17, from which bar extend two parallel horizontal rods 56to which is fastened. a vertical rod 57 carrying on its upper end a yoke58 in the arms of which is journaled a roller 59 on a horizontal axis,said roller bearing against one side of the stack of blanks. A similarroller 60 in fixed bearings contacts with the opposite side of saidstack. The axes of the rollers 59, 60 are maintained in the plane of theuppermost blank, said rollers being rotated by the rising. blanks asthey are elevated by the shelf 16, and to prevent more than one blankbeing fed to the folding mechanism in case of a variation in the widthof such blanks, the surfaces of the rollers are covered with some softelastic material such as rubber, and preferably have their surfacescovered with small projections arranged thereon in lines inclined to theline of their axes, or in a spiral direction. Hair, wire, or otherbristles may be employed in place of the rubber surfaces, said bristlesbeing arranged in inclined lines similar to the-small projections on therubber surfaces. The gate 18 carrying the rollers 59 is held in closedposition by means of a spring 61 applied as shown or in any otherconvenient manner.

The end of the feeding bar 31 farthest from the folding mechanism isprovided with oppositely projecting studs 62 on each of which adjacentthe bar 31 is secured a disk 63 having radially grooved outer faces asshown. Pivoted on the outer end of each stud 62 is an upright finger64;, on each of which in turn is pivoted one end of an arm 65, theopposite ends of which arms each carry ahollow shoe 66 open on its underside by means of which shoes an adhesive is applied to the blank. Fromeach shoe a flexible tube 67 extends to a tank or receptacle 68containing a liquid adhesive that flows down the tubes to the shoes, theflow being regulated by a faucet 69. The tubes 67 are sufliciently longand flexible to permit the shoes traveling to and fro over the blankswithout hindrance. A coil spring 70 surrounds each stud 62, one end ofeach spring engaging one of the fingers 64 their other ends engaging agroove in the faces of the disks 63. shoes firmly upon the uppermostblank. A spring 71 connected to a short arm 72 on each shoe, carryingarm 65 keep the shoes at the outer edges of the blanks, their positionbeing controlled by plates 73 fastened to the spindles of the rollers60. The shoes 66 are swiveled on their carriers so as to adjustthemselves at all times to the surface of the blanks. By this means theproper application of adhesive is insured in the event'of buckling orcurving of the blank.

Between the reciprocating feed bar 31 and the transverse feeding tray (4are two feed rollers 7a, 75, between which the blank passes, and bywhich it is fed into said tray. The feed rolls are driven by a belt 76passing around a pulley 77 on the shaft of the roller 74;, and a pulley78 on a shaft 7 9 upon which is mounted the driving pulley 80. Gearwheels 81, 82 impart motion from the shaft-79 to the shaft 6 upon whichthe cam 11 is secured,

In operating the machine a stack of blanks is placed within thereceptacle upon These springs hold the bears against the rollers 33.

the support 16 which has been previously lowered to the bottom of saidreceptacle and afterward raised until the top of the stack The gate 18is then closed so that the roller 59 carried thereby bears against oneedgeof the stack while the other edge of the stack is in contact withthe roller 60.- Motion being new imparted to the shaft 79, the rotationof the cam 11 operates the lazy tongs 8 to cause the plunger 4: to movevertically in the manner described in my aforesaid copendingapplication. The vertical movement of the lazy tongs through the link29, lever 28, and connecting parts, oscillates the arm 2% to cause thepawl 23 carried thereby to intermittently rotate the ratchet wheel 22that, turning the screw 20, slowly elevates the blank support 16. Therod 1-2 extending through the hollow screw shaft 20 through itsconnectionto the arm 25L- is oscillated simultaneously therewith andimparts a rocking motion to the lever 36, which through its connectionto the reciprocating feed bar 31 causes the latter to move back andforth in a straight line over the stack of blanks feeding the uppermostblank at each forward movement beneath the adhesive applying devices tothe feed rollers 74, 75, which rollers further advance the blank intothe transverse feeding tray 0. Should the upward pressure of the stackof blanks against the feed bar 31 be sufficient tolift said bar,

the lever 46 projecting thereover will also be lifted'and through thewire orother connection the spring plate 49 will be raised and thefriction pad 50 pressed against the pawl 28 with suflicient force tohold the latter out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 22, thusstopping the rotation of the feed screw 90 without interrupting thereciprocating movement of the feed bar 31,

which as heretofore stated is'given motion direct from the arm 24. v

' As the feed bar 31 moves rearwardly, the adhesive applying shoes 66are held down upon the pile of blanks through the action of springs 70,and at a proper distance from the edges of said blanks by a spring 71and guide plates 78. The feed bar 31 reciprocates in the primary feedingline or direction and the support for the stack of blanks is arranged sothat it supports the blanks with their longitudinal axes on this primaryfeeding line and superposed upon each other. I

The blanks are fed in a longitudinal directi'on by the feed bar 31during the downward movement of the plunger 4: carrying a previously fedblank to the folding devices. During this time the transverse feedingtray (1. is in its outermost position directly in line with thelongitudinally advancing blank, and remains in such position until theblank has been fed theremto.

Upon the rise of the plunger 4 the pin cl, which lies in front'of therod to, and thereby maintains the tray 64 in its advanced position,continues to bear against the front of said bar and the switch 9 untilthe latter rises above the pin, whereupon the spring 5 quickly draws thetray 0 rearwardly beneath the plunger 4L into position, ready for thenext descent of the plunger. Theupturned edges ,of the tray a preventthe blank from getting out of position during the rapid movementtransversely of the tray. A finger a is provided at one end of the trayto serve as a stop for the incoming blank.

What I claim is 1." In a packet making machine, the combination withblank folding devices, of secondary feeding means for feeding the blankstransversely to the folding devices, devices for applying an adhesive tosaid blanks, and primary feeding means for efiecting a movement of theadhesive applying devices relative to the blanks to apply the adhesivethereto and for transferring the blanks one at a time to thetransversefeeding means.

2'. In a packet making machine, the combination of means for feeding theblanks transversely to the folding devices, a support for stack ofblanks, devices for applying adhesive to said blanks, and means actuatedcoincidently with the packet making machine for effecting a relativemovement between the stack of blanks and the adhesive applying devicesand for transferring the blanks one at a time from the stackof blanks toa point beyond said adhesive applying'devices, to the'transverse feedingmeans.

3. In a packet making machine, the com- 'binati'on with blank foldingdevices, of means operated by said folding devices for feeding saidblanks transversely to the folding devices, elevating means forsupporting a stack of blanks, a reciprocating feeding means fortransferring the blanks longitudinally and one at a time from said stackof blanks to the transverse feeding means, and means operated by themechanism for actuating the folding devices for lifting said elevatingmeans and reciprocating the feeding means.

In a packet making machine, the :combination with blank folding devicesincluding a reciprocatingplunger, means for feeding blanks transverselyto said folding devices, and means actuated by the means forreciprocating said plunger for drawing said blank feeding means quicklybeneath the same during the retreat of the plunger and moving saidfeeding means away from the plunger by a slower movement during theadvance of the same.

V 5. In a packet making machine, the combination with blank foldingdevices including a reciprocating plunger, actuating means for saidplunger, a swinging tray for feeding blanks transversely beneath theplunger, a movable switch carried by the plunger reciprocating meansadapted to coact withva projection fixed to said tray for imparting tothe tray a quick movement to place a blank beneath the plunger, and aslower movement to carry said tray into position to receive anotherblank.

6. A feeding device for packet making machines comprising a support fora stack of blanks, a reciprocating feed bar above said stack againstwhich said blanks are compressed, adhesive applying devices carried bysaid feed bar and adapted to reciprocate therewith, and means forholding said adhesive applying devices upon the uppermost blank of saidstack, said means also permitting universal individual movement of eachadhesive applying means to adapt the same to any irregularities of theblank.

7. A feeding device for packet making machines, comprising a support fora stack of blanks, a reciprocating feed bar above said stack againstwhich said blanks are pressed, adhesive applying devices universallyconnected to said bar and adapted to reciprocate therewith, resilientmeans for holding each of said adhesive devices upon the uppermostWrapper and independent resilient means for keeping said devices spacedapart.

8. In a packet making machine, the combination with blank foldingdevices including a plunger, of a blank holding magazine provided withelevating means for a stack of blanks to maintain the top of the stackat a substantially constant level, a feed bar movable longitudinallyover said stack to engage and carry the uppermost blank to the foldingdevices, and adhesive applying shoes movable with said feed bar andpivot ally connected thereto adapted to swing independently in verticaland horizontal planes.

9. In a packet making machine, the combination with blank foldingdevices including a plunger, of a blank holding magazine provided withelevating means for a stack of blanks to maintain the top of said stackat a substantially constant level, a feed bar movable longitudinallyover said stack to engage and carry the uppermost blank to the foldingdevices, adhesive applying shoes movable with said feed bar andpivotally connected thereto adapted to swing independently in verticaland horizontal planes, a guide plate for maintaining each shoe in properposition upon the blank, and resilient means for holding said shoesagainst the guide plates.

10. In a packet making machine, the combination with blank foldingdevices including a plunger, of a blank holding magazine provided withelevating means for a stack of blanks to maintain the top of said stackat a substantially constant level, a feed bar movable longitudinallyover said stack to engage and carry the uppermost blank to the foldingdevices, adhesive applying shoes pivoted to said feed bar adapted toswing independently in vertical and horizontal planes, and toreciprocate simultaneously with said feed bar, and resilient means forholding said shoes yieldingly on the blank that they may follow allirregularities therein.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

WALTER E. MOLINS.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH V. MooREs, WILLIAM I-IoLMEs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

